Over the past few decades, the use of code symbol readers, such as barcode scanners, has dramatically increased. Businesses have particularly gravitated toward the use of code symbol readers in the inventory management and point-of-sale contexts. Scanning barcode readers are particularly popular because of their long and adjustable working distances.
Traditional scanner designs are limited by complexity constraints. Such designs may require time consuming alignment of complicated folded optical paths to mitigate stray light and ensure proper performance. Multiple circuit boards are commonly used and connected with flexible circuits, each adding to the cost and assembly time.
Thus, a need exists for a laser barcode scanner solution that uses a variety of techniques to simplify the design, to achieve good performance, and to remain cost-effective to produce.